Chapter 15%
I held her tightly, as if letting go would make her disappear like morning mist.”
It took me quite a while to calm myself down. Anya had already put her wig back on. She adjusted her makeup, trying to look as fresh as usual.
“You know now, so please, don’t bring up my illness again. As long as I can still stand in front of people, just pretend I have a long life ahead. I don’t want to spend the rest of my time in tears and sorrow.“}]
“Alright, Anya. I’ll try to respect your wishes. But…” My voice caught, a sob broke out again, and I didn’t even know why it hurt this much.
“I thought we were going to do so many things in the future. I finally felt like I had a friend in this unfamiliar place. But… turns out you…}
I couldn’t finish my sentence. “Why do all the people I love have to leave me one by one?“>
“Hey… Bella…” Anya looked at me gently, her smile faint. “People who die don’t really leave, you know? I’ll just be leaving this body. But I’ll still be around you. I’ll be watching, making sure you’re alright… especially when it comes to taking care of Harry.”
“Does Harry know about this?” I asked softly.
“Of course. His reaction was the same as yours when he found out I didn’t have much time left. You two are so alike, too sentimental. But… I’m glad. That means you both care about me.“>
“Anya… you said you love Harry, right? Don’t you want to make the most of your time? Marry the man you love. I’m sure Harry would agree.“}}
“Bella!”
The deep voice echoed so suddenly that I flinched. Harry.§
I didn’t know how long he had been standing there, but now he was right beside me. Without another word, he grabbed my arm and pulled
didn‘ me to my feet.
“We need to talk. Just the two of us.“>
-8
“She already rejected me! Why do you keep making offers to her, Bella!”
Harry’s voice was sharp, almost like a restrained shout, once we reached a quieter area, far from Anya’s earshot. The afternoon breeze rustling the leaves couldn’t soothe the tension on his face. His steps were quick and furious, like a man exploding from the inside.
I turned and looked into his eyes–red and blazing with emotion. His face was scrunched, his breathing uneven, and his voice–this wasn’t the usual calm, controlled Harry. He looked like someone who had lost his footing, and I knew I was his emotional target right now. “That means you two love each other, right?!” I held my chest, my heart racing. My voice trembled, but I didn’t want to appear weak. I didn’t want to lose.
His eyes blinked rapidly, as if taken aback by my words. But he quickly deflected. “This has nothing to do with you,” he said, his voice hoarse. He looked like a wounded stray–uncertain whether to attack or protect himself.
I stared at him, trying to read his body language. His fists were clenched, his jaw tight, and his eyes–God–they looked so tired. This wasn’t just about love. It was about loss, regret, and the crushing weight of helplessness.
“If you two really love each other, why involve me in your triangle? That will only make things more complicated, Harry. You’ll regret it later,” I said, softer this time. There was a sharp pain in my chest, like being stabbed by something invisible.
Harry let out a deep breath, his shoulders slowly dropping as if surrendering to his own emotions. “I already proposed to her, Bella. But she rejected me! She thought I only cared about her because of her illness. Do you think I want to be in this position? Powerless and unable to do anything!”
That voice. That tone of despair shook my heart.”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my pulse steady. I had to be strong. For me. For Harry. For everything we couldn’t make sense of right now.!
Gently, I reached for his arm. My hand touched his warm, tense skin. “Sit down,” I whispered, guiding him toward a wooden bench along the park path. We sat side by side, and I gently patted his shoulder, hoping to offer a little calm.}]
“I want you to tell me everything, Harry… once you’re calm,” I said softly.”
It took a few minutes of silence. Only the sound of the wind and footsteps of people passing by in the distance. But finally, he spoke.
‘I once planned to propose to Anya,” he began, his voice barely a whisper. I turned to look at him, and he stared blankly ahead, as if rewinding dusty reels of memory.”
“We grew up together since we were kids. We were around each other so often that sometimes… we didn’t know the line between joking and being serious. She used to say she wanted to marry me. Ever since we were teenagers. But because she said it so often, I always thought… it was just a joke.”
I listened closely. A part of me started to feel something complicated and uneasy. Had I walked into a love story that wasn’t meant to be mine?
“I told her she wasn’t my type. I said I only saw her as a little sister.“}
8:01 PM D
I smiled too, but my lips felt bitter.
“Until her 21st birthday… she proposed to me in front of everyone. And I… I disappointed her again. I thought she was joking. But it turned out… that was the last time she ever confessed her feelings to me.“}
I swallowed hard. It felt like swallowing a rock.
“When I finally realized her feelings were real, that I loved her too… it was too late. She… she refused to marry me. Because she knew… she didn’t have much time left.“@
Harry’s voice broke. He covered his face with his hands for a moment.”
And when he lowered them, he looked at me with eyes that were honest and full of pain.}
“And the first thing she did after that… was look for you.“}
I froze. “Me?“}
Harry nodded slowly.
“Yeah… you.”
